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墨書 Inktalez
Heavy rain pounded mercilessly against the ground.
Not far away, in a lower area, a river had already formed. The Special Tree appeared weary under the relentless downpour, its branches and leaves drooping lifelessly. In the distance, a mist hung heavily, obscuring visibility, while the wind blew fiercely from all directions, carrying a biting chill that lifted the flimsy raincoats of several people.
Those with weaker constitutions, like Xie Huai and Deng Yinyin, were already shivering in the cold wind, while even the strong like Gu Ze and Xu Hang were beginning to struggle against the harshness of the weather.
The heavy rain continued for quite some time, yet Xu Nuan still had not appeared.
Deng Yinyin had long been clamoring to head into the Supply Station without waiting for anyone else, but unfortunately, she was suppressed by their leader, Xu Hang.
Out of both concern and reason, Xu Hang would wait for Xu Nuan to return. However, there was a time limit to this patience. In his view, the safety of the team was paramount; thus, he ultimately had to propose to Gu Ze.
"Ze, let's go into the Supply Station and wait for her there."
This should have been an obvious decision, but Xu Hang understood Gu Ze's worries.
The Supply Station had two doors; one was for entry while the other was for exit—this was a rule of the game.
However, Xu Hang suspected that the true purpose behind this design was to prevent Players from suddenly returning to the Supply Station. Was such a precaution really necessary?
He only had suspicions without any concrete leads. He believed that Gu Ze's reluctance to enter the Supply Station stemmed from his inability to rest easy about Xu Nuan's safety before knowing her condition.
This was what it meant to care.
Xu Hang understood his buddy's concerns but still felt compelled to voice his thoughts. He knew Gu Ze was well aware of what could happen if they continued waiting in such rain.
And he anticipated Gu Ze's response.
"You all go ahead; I'll wait a little longer."
Dressed in deep blue, Gu Ze sat under the tree, seemingly unaffected by the outside world. His face bore little expression, and his tone showed no fluctuation. This made Xu Hang inwardly exclaim that things were not looking good; usually, this was when Gu Ze became serious, and once he was serious, no one could persuade him otherwise.
Meanwhile, Deng Yinyin, who had been held back, was now completely erupting.
"Gu Ze, don't be so selfish! We're a team! Are you really going to let all of us suffer out here just because Xu Nuan is off doing who knows what and might have already cleared the challenge?"
The pent-up anger that had accumulated for too long burst forth in Deng Yinyin's high-pitched voice.
"What if you can't wait until tonight? Are you going to wait until tomorrow? What if tomorrow comes and you still can't wait?"
Deng Yinyin's next words, which came without a filter and without thinking, struck at Gu Ze's Achilles' heel.
"What if something happens to Xu Nuan and she can never make it here? Are you going to keep waiting, not clearing the challenges, not claiming your rewards, and not leaving this dangerous game? For you, is your life more important or Xu Nuan's?"
Deng Yinyin rattled off her tirade without even catching her breath. Her previously pale face was now flushed with anger, but instead of seeing Gu Ze change his mind, she found him glaring at her with darkened eyes filled with rage.
In her memory, Gu Ze had always been gentle and polite, wearing a smile. The first time he lost his composure was because of Xu Nuan; now it was happening again due to Xu Nuan. She came to a realization: Gu Ze changed because of Xu Nuan. Therefore, if Xu Nuan were no longer around, Gu Ze would return to the charming person she once admired.
So this time, Deng Yinyin bravely stood her ground instead of backing down. She confronted Gu Ze angrily, believing that her future brother-in-law would help her and that the timid Xie Huai would also stand by her side. In other words, she considered herself the most important person in the team; Gu Ze would be isolated. If Gu Ze wanted to avoid isolation, he had to do as she said—like right now, he should immediately head into the Supply Station instead of standing around in the rain like a bunch of fools.
The anger in Gu Ze's eyes surged. He was an extremely self-controlled person, but whenever it came to matters related to Xu Nuan, he became utterly unrestrained; otherwise, he wouldn't have made such an unforgivable mistake back at the Cliff.
"The premise of forming a team is the individual," Gu Ze said slowly, his face splattered with raindrops. "Hao can lead us into the Supply Station as captain, but as an individual, I also have my right to choose. It's not up to you to shout orders here."
When faced with someone indifferent, what was called gentleness turned out to be mere pretense.
"I understand," Xu Hang stepped in front of Deng Yinyin with a sigh. "I'll stay here with you while they go into the Supply Station. If any beasts come along, I can still help."
Deng Yinyin, who had been feeling triumphant until now, immediately became dissatisfied upon hearing Xu Hang's words. Ignoring his good intentions, she pushed him aside and rushed up to Gu Ze.
"Why should Xu Hang stay with you? It's your choice to wait for Xu Nuan, so don't drag others into this."
Just yesterday, Deng Yinyin had resolved to leave a good impression on Gu Ze, aiming to become a perfect person. Yet, less than a day later, her true nature had been exposed. She suddenly realized that no matter how perfect she became, it would be useless if she didn’t make someone disappear. Since that was the case, she might as well seize the opportunity to showcase herself in front of Gu Ze.
"Deng Yinyin!"
Xu Hang was surprised to see the completely unfamiliar Deng Yinyin, not understanding why she had become so selfish. Of course, people could be selfish; it was just that their team had no conflicting interests at the moment. So why was there such impatience and selfishness?
"Because beneath the team are individuals."
Perhaps comforted by Xu Hang's words, Gu Ze reined in his emotions. He glanced at Deng Yinyin with a blank expression and, after throwing down that remark, refused to acknowledge her further, ignoring her shouts.
When Deng Yinyin saw the coldness in Gu Ze's eyes, she felt like a clown performing a farce in front of the person she loved most, while he trampled her dignity underfoot.
"Hmph."
Deng Yinyin suddenly let out a cold laugh and glared fiercely at Gu Ze. If this man continued with such an attitude, then she wouldn’t hesitate to use any means necessary. After all, she had grown up knowing how to get what she wanted; in her home, there were winds when she wanted winds and rains when she wanted rains. There was nothing that Deng Yinyin couldn't obtain.
As Xu Hang was taking out binoculars from his backpack to observe the surroundings, he didn’t notice Deng Yinyin's expression. However, Xie Huai, who had been standing nearby ready to intervene at any moment, did see it.
Xie Huai took a few steps back in surprise, thinking he must have seen it wrong. In his impression, Deng Yinyin was straightforward and cheerful, perhaps a bit greedy but fundamentally good-hearted. But what was that expression just now?
Rubbing his eyes, Xie Huai looked at Deng Yinyin again and saw only a look of grievance on her face. He assumed he had been mistaken earlier and thought it was just an illusion caused by her anger.
"Deng Yinyin, let's head into the Supply Station and wait for everyone. Being out here in the rain and wind might make you catch a cold."
Seeing Xu Hang signaling him, Xie Huai stepped forward to take the opportunity to soothe Deng Yinyin.
But unexpectedly, Deng Yinyin shook off his hand angrily and walked over to sit down on the other side in a huff.
"Hmph, my body isn't that weak. I'll wait, who's afraid of whom!"
Xie Huai smiled wryly, knowing he was being ignored again. He had grown accustomed to playing the supporting role for others, so there was no need to force himself. He chose a spot to sit down.
The team of Six People had gathered five members, waiting for the last one. It seemed harmonious, but the seeds of conflict had long been sown, waiting for the day they would erupt.
Heavy Rain showed no signs of gentleness, pouring down from dusk until midnight and continuing into the early hours of the next day before finally stopping.
The morning air was refreshingly crisp, and the rising sun was dazzlingly bright. The orange light pierced through the clouds and bathed the earth in warmth and hope.
However, this was merely a facade.
Xu Hang had already sensed the stirring in the forest concealed by the Special Tree. It was the sound of beasts drawn closer by the scent of humans. Though faint, after surviving in the wild for so long, Xu Hang had developed a beast's keen instincts.
Yet, as Xu Hang glanced at Gu Ze, who hadn’t closed his eyes all night, his heart sank gradually. Xu Nuan still hadn’t arrived at the Supply Station. He had considered the possibility that Xu Nuan had already left; it was quite likely. Although Xu Nuan was eager to break through, it was possible she might have abandoned them. However, they had all arrived here by pairing up and cooperating with each other along with a bit of luck; it made no sense for Xu Nuan to arrive alone before them. Moreover, given Xu Nuan's strength, she shouldn’t be delayed for this long either. Therefore, it was very likely that something had happened to her.
Xu Hang couldn’t bear to imagine what Gu Ze might be thinking; he feared his brother might truly lose control.
Before long, Deng Yinyin and Xie Huai also woke up one after another. Upon seeing the sun, they cheered for a moment before their expressions turned serious as they began to inquire.
"We've waited this long; is there still a need to keep waiting?"
Deng Yinyin glanced at the distant forested mountains and then at the nearby Supply Station; her sense of balance had already tipped significantly.
Just then, Xu Hang heard hurried footsteps approaching. He immediately stopped Deng Yinyin from speaking further and looked at Gu Ze with a hopeful expression.
Gu Ze had already stood up; despite his weary appearance, he now looked tense and excited as he stared towards the source of the sound coming from behind the dense Special Tree.
However, upon seeing who emerged from behind the Special Tree, Gu Ze's expression darkened once more.
The newcomers, Rao Tingxue and Ning Han, appeared somewhat disheveled from the rain they had endured.
Upon seeing Gu Ze and the others, Rao Tingxue was momentarily taken aback, but quickly realized they were waiting for Xu Nuan. After all, there had been conflicts between their two teams. Rao Tingxue glanced at Ning Han with a hint of concern in her eyes, revealing a touch of fear.
"Since you all aren't entering the Supply Station right now, we'll go in first. Is that alright?"
Ning Han, who had an unremarkable appearance, flashed a sincere smile at Xu Hang.
Meanwhile, Deng Yinyin, who had psychological scars from past encounters, had already hidden behind Xie Huai, who remained vigilant, watching Ning Han and Rao Tingxue closely.
Even within the game, they were mindful not to break any rules. Keeping this in mind, Xu Hang stepped aside to let them pass.
Ning Han and Rao Tingxue naturally walked through the group and approached the Supply Station. At that moment, Gu Ze suddenly asked, "Have you encountered Nuan in this round?"
Rao Tingxue's body tensed at his words. She turned to look at Gu Ze, her eyes reflecting hesitation and lingering fear.
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